Comments on: NASA: in Martian soil, Mars rover finds conditions once suited for ancient life http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1681393 AnthonyC Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1681393 I agree with everything in your first paragraph, and I agree that launching nuclear waste into the sun would be quite stupid. But right now we have no Plan B and all, and in many cases no Plan A. Also, nothing on Earth would be as reliable as an off-world colony, so even if we succeed in doing as you suggest, going off-world would be the natural next step I agree with everything in your first paragraph, and I agree that launching nuclear waste into the sun would be quite stupid. But right now we have no Plan B and all, and in many cases no Plan A. Also, nothing on Earth would be as reliable as an off-world colony, so even if we succeed in doing as you suggest, going off-world would be the natural next step

]]> By: anansi133 http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1681289 anansi133 Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1681289 Of course it would be really good to have that. But that does not exist, we would have to build it. If we are going to go to all the trouble of building a biosphere essentially from scratch, it would be far more cost effective at every level to build it on *this* planet first. Building a plan B in space to avoid a human-made catastrophe on this planet, is about as sensible as launching nuclear waste into the sun so we never have to deal with it here. Of course it would be really good to have that. But that does not exist, we would have to build it. If we are going to go to all the trouble of building a biosphere essentially from scratch, it would be far more cost effective at every level to build it on *this* planet first.

Building a plan B in space to avoid a human-made catastrophe on this planet, is about as sensible as launching nuclear waste into the sun so we never have to deal with it here.

]]> By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677630 AnthonyC Wed, 13 Mar 2013 01:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677630 Actually, I disagree. If we *do* screw things up royally (or get hit by a large asteroid or supervolcano) and make Earth uninhabitable, it would be really, really good to have a permanent, self-sustaining human presence somewhere, anywhere else in the universe. Otherwise, there goes the future, and all the hopes and dreams of all mankind forever. Actually, I disagree. If we *do* screw things up royally (or get hit by a large asteroid or supervolcano) and make Earth uninhabitable, it would be really, really good to have a permanent, self-sustaining human presence somewhere, anywhere else in the universe. Otherwise, there goes the future, and all the hopes and dreams of all mankind forever.

]]> By: miasm http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677485 miasm Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677485 Everybody stop! First, we should figure everything out, then we can start to move forward. ; ) Everybody stop! First, we should figure everything out, then we can start to move forward.
; )

]]> By: anansi133 http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677337 anansi133 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677337 Yup. and after we get things under control on *this* planet. Yup. and after we get things under control on *this* planet.

]]> By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677272 AnthonyC Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677272 *After* we know the planet's history that we won't mind destroying the evidence of it. And after we learn how to fabricate large structures on other worlds, including giant enclosures and climate control systems. *After* we know the planet’s history that we won’t mind destroying the evidence of it. And after we learn how to fabricate large structures on other worlds, including giant enclosures and climate control systems.

]]> By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677268 AnthonyC Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677268 Would be, if they'd found life. What they actually found were conditions that could potentially have supported life. If they *do* find life twice *in the same solar system* that would really upend the drake equation, because it would mean it is much easier than once believed for simple life to evolve in the universe. Would be, if they’d found life. What they actually found were conditions that could potentially have supported life.

If they *do* find life twice *in the same solar system* that would really upend the drake equation, because it would mean it is much easier than once believed for simple life to evolve in the universe.

]]> By: andygates http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677222 andygates Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677222 Can I get odds on a fossil?  Can I get odds on a fossil? 

]]> By: peterblue11 http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677123 peterblue11 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677123 firs time alien life is confirmed with data right?? euhm kind of a big deal? firs time alien life is confirmed with data right?? euhm kind of a big deal?

]]> By: Ramone http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677126 Ramone Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677126 Right, so when can we start building atmosphere factories and planting super 02 trees? Right, so when can we start building atmosphere factories and planting super 02 trees?

]]> By: franko http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677115 franko Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677115 is reconfirming previous data partly what science is all about? is reconfirming previous data partly what science is all about?

]]> By: Hanno den Boer http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677089 Hanno den Boer Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677089 Great! Wonderful! Whoohoo! Mission accomplished. Can we now please send the rover to *really* interesting geological places such as Mariner Valley and Olympus Monts, rather than spending the next 2 years sampling samples to confirm more of the same? Great! Wonderful! Whoohoo! Mission accomplished. Can we now please send the rover to *really* interesting geological places such as Mariner Valley and Olympus Monts, rather than spending the next 2 years sampling samples to confirm more of the same?

]]> By: Tchoutoye http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/nasa-in-martian-soil-mars-ro.html#comment-1677008 Tchoutoye Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=218237#comment-1677008 "Ancient" is a term more correctly used for human culture: ancient Greece, etc. For other lifeforms, the term "early" is more common. /pedant “Ancient” is a term more correctly used for human culture: ancient Greece, etc. For other lifeforms, the term “early” is more common. /pedant

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